Photos: First Glimpse into a Mayan Tomb
Temple XX
Temple XX in the ancient Mayan city of Palenque. Under the temple is a 1,500-year-old burial chamber, unreachable except by micro-camera.
Upper Temple
To get to the hidden tomb, researchers had to descend from the top of the temple.
Descending into Temple XX
A ladder leads into Temple XX, from which archaeologists threaded a video camera into the burial chamber.
Hole in the Temple
A 6-inch (15 cm) by 6-inch hole leads to the unexplored burial chamber.
Red and Black
The first images of the inside of the 1,500-year-old burial chamber reveal red-and-black painted walls.
Mayan Mural
A mural decorating the walls of the 1,500-year-old burial chamber consists of nine characters outlined in black on red.
Tomb Decorations
Murals on the tomb walls.
Chamber of Secrets
A stepped ceiling and the thick slab gateway of the burial chamber.
Offerings for a Ruler
Pottery, jade and shell sit on the burial chamber floor. Archaeologists believe the burial chamber holds the fragmented bones of a ruler from around 431 to 550 AD.
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Stephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Live Science, covering topics ranging from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior. She was previously a senior writer for Live Science but is now a freelancer based in Denver, Colorado, and regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor, the monthly magazine of the American Psychological Association. Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
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